Travel back in time to an elegant past at The Mission Inn

Time travel is possible. Travelers just have to use their imaginations to step into the past. Fortunately, they can combine Old World charm with modern amenities for a comfortable visit in Riverside.

It was on a record 104-degree day that we stepped through the San Gabriel Mission style bell tower at The Mission Inn in Riverside to find a vibrant part of California history. As we strolled down the lush garden path past ancient Spanish cannons, we stopped in front of a huge birdcage. Normally, two brightly colored macaws greet guests, much as they have done for more than 100 years. But the heat had driven the birds indoors.

Stepping through the doors, we entered another era, a time when Spanish missions towered over the land, calling the faithful to worship.

Moving into the cool, dark lobby, we rolled our carry-on bags past elegant seating areas to a beautiful wooden registration desk. An antique phone on the desk drew us back into California’s colorful 1900s.

No soaring ceilings, glass walls and marble desks can be found here. The Mission Inn celebrates its unique past by maintaining its historic style. The mission of the Mission is to share its glorious history with travelers tired of the hustle and bustle of the modern world.

Soon, we were huddled in a tiny European style elevator for a rumbling ride to our room.

Each of the 238 guest rooms and 27 suites are decorated differently. No cookie-cutter rooms here.

We then took the elevator to the rooftop of the historic hotel for a magnificent view of downtown Riverside. While there, we found a secluded, restful patio on top of the Rotunda wing.

Back in the lobby is the Presidential Lounge. It’s named for the many presidents who have stayed at The Mission Inn. If the presidential portraits on the walls weren’t enough of a hint, the majestic mosaic presidential seal on the floor under our feet was a dead giveaway.

Theodore Roosevelt visited in 1903. Richard Nixon and his wife, Pat, were married next to the fireplace, while Ronald and Nancy Reagan honeymooned here. Take a minute to try out the enormous chair hand-built for the portly William Howard Taft. A total of eight presidents have visited, including John F. Kennedy.

Outside is the Spanish Patio, a restaurant that feels like it is in the inner courtyard of a castle in Spain. Its design was inspired by owner Frank Miller’s visit to Spain in 1911. Some of the tiles came from Seville, while the four grinning gargoyles in the water fountain are copies of a waterspout from a castle near Barcelona.

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In March, the Spanish Patio celebrated 100 years. Every month for a year it will feature a special entree. In July, it is Ronald Reagan veal osso buco with herb couscous, roasted chanterelles and turnips. In August, the menu will include Cary Grant barbecued squab with fingerling potato salad, mustard green slaw and red onion paste.

For more upscale dining, try Duane’s Prime Steaks and Seafood. The very elegant restaurant has received the AAA Four Diamond Award since 1996, as well as Wine Spectator’s award of excellence. We loved the warm amber decor and marveled at the central masterpiece, “Charge Up San Juan Hill.” The 8-by-6-foot painting of Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders is one of the largest paintings in The Mission Inn.

54 Degrees at Duane’s wine bar next door offers 28 wines by the glass and 285 wines by the bottle.

The simpler Mission Inn Restaurant is famous for its champagne brunch on Sundays, with unique food stations and a mimosa bar. Las Campanas Mexican Cantina in the front courtyard offers seating under shady umbrellas. We sampled the signature margaritas and Mexican cuisine for lunch.

The hotel takes up an entire city block and has 320,000 square feet of space. And to think it all started as a two-story adobe guesthouse in 1876.

Miller spent 30 years building this national historic landmark. Along the way, he added flying buttresses, domes, a bell tower, interior courtyards and a magnificent five-story open-air rotunda, a popular location for weddings.

Weddings are a big deal at The Mission Inn and have been since movie legend Bette Davis and the Nixons were married here.

In fact, the historic hotel hosts almost 400 weddings a year in two chapels. Be sure to check out the St. Francis of Assisi Chapel with its Tiffany stained glass windows and the 18th century, 18-karat gold-leaf Rayas Altar.

The small St. Cecilia Chapel is dedicated to the patron saint of music. Dating from 1740, its antique altar of gesso and gold leaf is one of the oldest objects in the inn.

The Music Room, the inn’s largest room, is used for wedding receptions. Looking like the hall of a Spanish castle, it features large wooden beams, a 100-year-old Kimball organ, a minstrel’s gallery inspired by Mission San Miguel and pews patterned after those in Westminster Abbey.

But you don’t have to crash a wedding reception for some lively entertainment. Singers perform Friday through Sunday in the Presidential Lounge and 54 Degrees at Duane’s.

And check out the Tuscan-inspired luxury at Kelly’s Spa. It offers private poolside villas and a eucalyptus steam room, as well as a heated pool and hot tub spa. If you really want to relax, try one of its special treatments.

Be sure to visit The Mission Inn Museum and take a guided tour with one of the docents. They will point out some of the 6,000 pieces of artwork scattered throughout the hotel. The collection has been valued at more than $5 million.

Soon it was time to return to the modern world, but we look forward to another visit to The Mission Inn and another era. Time travel is possible.